Stresa e le Isole Borromee

Stresa was originally a fishing village but changed profoundly during the 19th century and the early 20th century, when it became a famous tourist centre for nobles and the international wealthy. It was lined with elegant Art Deco hotels and luxury villas; the lakeside promenade was filled with people. Its picturesque position at the foot of Mount Mottarone in front of the Borromeo islands allowed to remain Stresa a favourite tourist destination on Lake Maggiore even after the Belle Epoque ended. The many conferences and 'Musical Weeks' (held each August and September) increase the fame of the town that was described in glowing terms by writers like Stendhal, Dickens and Byron. The lovely Borromean islands lie in the bay in front of Stresa. They are all connected by an efficient ferry and "taxi boats". Isola Madre is the largest; it was purchased in 1501 by the Borromeo family from the Bishop of Novara. It is a botanical island on the water, a home to rare plants, exotic flowers and many species of azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons that turn the island into an explosion of colours and smells in spring. In the centre, the 17th-century palace still has interesting and original furniture. In the centre of the lake, the Isola dei Pescatori (Fishermen's Island) is a small village of alleyways with simple houses. The 17th-century church of San Vittore should be visited. In front of Stresa itself lies the famous Isola Bella with its magnificent Baroque palace (built in 1632 by Count Carlo III Borromeo) and its park, a masterpiece of Italian landscape gardening.

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